Leisure and citizenship

Enjoy your spare time

Being a citizen of another country isn’t only about rights and duties but also about participating in local leisure activities.

Political rights as a citizen

Politically, in the canton of Vaud, you can take part in elections and voting in your commune, you can be elected or have a seat in the commune council and sign initiatives or a commune referendum. To do this, certain conditions are required:

They have put together several activities, multicultural events and places for exchange and meetings to happen.

Volunteering

If you wish to commit some hours each week to a cause that is dear to you or set up an association, Volunteering-Vaud can give you all the information you need. Volunteering can be a stepping stone in helping you find a job by expanding your field of expertise and network.

Religion

Switzerland guarantees the freedom of religion. In the canton of Vaud, everyone is free to practice their religion. The Arzillier Maison du dialogue is an interreligious association allowing an exchange between persons of different religious and spiritual traditions.

Welcoming international employees

The Welcome days & Reloc'coffees are special events for international employees who have recently arrived in Switzerland, as well as their spouses, organised by the service International Link of the Vaud Chambers of commerce and industry (CVCI).

Culture

In the canton of Vaud, there is a rich culture of activities available: festivals, traditional events, shows, exhibitions, cinemas, concerts etc. To stay informed of what is going on in your area, visit the website of the Vaud Tourist Office (OTV) or on Tempslibre.ch.

Discover the permanent and temporary exhibitions at the canton of Vaud museums. They are free every first Sunday of the month.

The CarteCulture, offered by the Caritas network, enables low-income families to take part in cultural and social events, they can benefit from discounts related to culture, sport and training.

Sport, art and youth activities

If you are looking for sporting or artistic activities (volleyball, football, music, theatre etc.), you can visit your local commune centre. A list of local associations offering these services is also available.

In all the communes of the canton, associations and local communes have a number of extracurricular activities (summer camps, youth centres, youth counsels etc.) that are on offer for children and young people. Your commune or the youth activity liaison group can give you more information on the subject.